Thankfully, with the defeat of the S-rank monster we took down, the rift finally closed and disappeared.
Seeing the sky clear again, I couldn’t help but sigh in relief. After that last battle, I had nothing left in —I wouldn’t have survived a fourth wave.
“Guildmaster, we’ve finished processing the monsters you assigned us. Total count: 19.”
A guild mber who had taken care of the B-rank monsters safely approached and reported.
“What’s the damage assessnt?”
“We’re still confirming it.”
“Guildmaster, we have injured people. We need to call in the support team right away.”
“I already called the support team before we ca here—did they not arrive yet?”
“Well... it looks like they couldn’t get through. The roads are torn up and building debris is blocking access.”
“Even the streetlights are down. It’s harder to navigate than we expected.”
“It’s getting brighter now, so light won’t be a problem. Shouldn’t we start clearing the debris blocking the road first?”
“Guildmaster, the injured are in serious condition! They need treatnt right away!”
“Over here too!”
Starting with the first guild mber, others scattered across the area began reporting in one by one, updating the situation. Watching Kwon Taehyuk surrounded by people, I quietly stood up.
‘I should use this chance to escape.’
I couldn’t just sit there spacing out. As that guild mber said, the sky was rapidly brightening.
The battle that had begun last night finally ended with the break of dawn. It was pure luck that the rift closed before morning. If it had stayed open once daylight hit... I didn’t even want to imagine it.
Looking around, I spotted my hat on the ground—it had co off during the fight. Covered in dust, it looked just as filthy and tattered as I did. I had sohow managed to keep my mask on through the chaos, but the hat was a lost cause.
I picked it up, shook it out, and pulled it down over my head before slipping between two nearby buildings. My leg was too injured to run, so I hobbled with a limp, but Kwon Taehyuk, busy giving orders to the guild mbers, didn’t notice .
Out of sight and behind the building, I finally exhaled deeply. The mont I tucked myself away, the system window appeared.
《Warning! The skill Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) will soon be automatically deactivated.》
《Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) deactivation in 3...》
《Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) deactivation in 2...》
《Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) deactivation in 1...》
《Hidden Skill: Silverlight’s Blessing (S-rank) [Deactivated]》
Bzzzt!
“Urgh...!”
The mont the countdown ended, a jolt of electricity ran through . Gritting my teeth against the sting, I hunched over as the ground seed to rise closer.
My clothes sagged, the pain in my body beca sharper, and I felt my strength completely drain away. Cursing under my breath, I collapsed against the wall.
That’s when it happened.
Creak, screech.
From the rubble in front of ca a bug-like noise. I snapped my head up to see a chunk of flesh—a monster that had spilled out of the rift earlier—erging from the debris.
Kiiiiik, kkkik.
Its pitch-black pupils fixed on . Its enormous mouth, smacking and chewing as if savoring the taste, looked disturbingly human.
My legs went ice cold from the aura it gave off. The difference in pressure compared to when I had my S-rank body was overwhelming.
‘Fuck...’
Sweat dripped from my temple.
I tried to push myself up, forcing strength into my trembling hands, but my exhausted body and sheer terror weighed down on .
The monster slowly inched closer. Right now, it was cautious because of the weapon in my hand, but it wouldn’t take long to figure out just how weak I really was. A support-type, left alone without a dealer, was nothing but prey.
“Haa... haa...”
My breathing turned ragged, like soone was strangling .
Kwon Taehyuk and the guild mbers were just beyond the building—but there was no way this monster would let get that far. The mont I moved, it would pounce and tear apart.
Swinging the sword was my only shot at survival. At least the blade had a higher rank than my body.
Just as I resolved myself, the monster charged, having finished sizing up.
Tatatatatat!
Its six thin limbs, like insect legs, carried it forward in a blur. It leapt, mouth wide open.
Inside the gaping, pitch-black maw were dozens of square-shaped teeth. The grotesque sight made my skin crawl. I raised the sword to strike—
KWAZIK!
A wet crack sounded as thick flesh was pierced, and black blood exploded like fireworks. The monster, just seconds away from biting into my skull, was impaled and killed.
It wasn’t my sword.
Staring blankly {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} at the monster frozen mid-lunge, mouth still open, I slowly looked down.
A black spike had run clean through the monster’s torso, rising from the ground. No—from the shadow.
I followed the shadow with my eyes until I saw the one standing across from . Black hair rippling in the breeze. A small, pale face.
“Cha Sahyeon...?”
I murmured in disbelief.
Standing expressionless, Cha Sahyeon slowly approached when she heard my voice.
With a small flick of her hand, the black spike vanished into the shadow, and the monster’s corpse followed, sucked down like it was sinking underwater—leaving not a trace behind.
Sahyeon stood in front of , blinking with a slightly unhinged look on her face.
She looked exactly the sa as always. Strangely, that cald down.
“Haah...”
Honestly, soone like Sahyeon is more dangerous than that B-rank monster.
I knew that. Knew it very well. And yet, I couldn’t stop my body from going slack with relief.
The green eyes looking down at were soft. She stood there, fidgeting, worried that I might scold her for breaking our agreent and following here.
Who’s watching who here? With your power, you could’ve killed faster than that monster ever could.
‘I died to that skill before...’
Not just —countless others died.
But now... she’d saved my life instead.
It was funny. Ridiculous. Comforting.
I laughed like I might cry and gently pulled the hesitant child toward by the hand.
“You saved , kid.”
Because I was sitting down, I could lean my head against her shoulder.
Maybe that’s why it really felt like she was comforting . The warmth of her body, the gentle heat—surprisingly, I liked it.
“You ca all the way here looking for ?”
“...Yeah.”
Instead of scolding her, I hugged her. With my eyes closed, she hesitated, then quietly answered.
It was hard to believe I’d just barely survived multiple brushes with death. My mind felt calm. Honestly, I just wanted to go ho with Sahyeon right then and there...
Ding!
But unfortunately, I still had work to do.
Ding, ding!
The persistent alert pulled my eyes open. Over Sahyeon’s shoulder, that dreaded system window floated in the air.
[Main Quest: Survive the second rift. (Ti remaining: 5 hours 50 minutes)]
Until the second rift hovering over Uidong was fully closed, I had to endure—so this nightmare wouldn’t repeat.
*Warning! If even a single person is injured or killed, the quest will be marked as failed.
《Currently registered injured: 5 people》
‘Those five... probably Yesung Guild mbers.’
The guild mbers who followed Kwon Taehyuk had helped evacuate civilians and clear out monsters I couldn’t finish. I owed them—and succeeding in the quest would pay that debt.
I swallowed a breath and pressed strength into my aching legs.
“Hey, kid. Help up.”
Hearing my request, Sahyeon let out a little grunt and supported with both arms. She could’ve used her skill—but instead she lifted with her own two hands. I patted her head.
Then looked around.
“What happened to the monster corpse you killed?”
There had to be more monsters the guild missed during the cleanup.
That sort of oversight was common. After a rift opened, it was always necessary to search for hidden monsters and finish them off. I’d just been unlucky to run into one first this ti.
Sahyeon glanced at the spot where the corpse had fallen and muttered reluctantly.
“...I buried it. In the ground.”
You just... buried it? She could do that with her skill?
I felt uneasy, but didn’t push. I just nodded quietly.
There were too many things to think about when it ca to Sahyeon—but now wasn’t the ti. Right now, I had to save the injured and complete the quest.
I reopened the Item Shop.
[Main Quest: Survive the second rift. (Ti remaining: 5 hours 47 minutes)]
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